The dutch town of Hoogeveen annually plays host to the Essent tournament with an interesting format the elite 'Crown' group: A double-round-robin featuring the top ranked player from the Netherlands, a current or former world champion, the top ranked female player in the world, and the junior world champion. This year these places were filled respectively by Ivan Sokolov (Nethaerlands), Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria), Judit Polgar (Hungary) and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan). The invited players are all known for their fighting qualities, and they certainly delivered, with only two draws among the twelve games.
Worldwide attention was focused on the event for several reasons: How would Topalov fare in the tournament beginning just a week after his defeat in the world championship match with Kramnik? How was Polgar's form in here first tournament since taking another year out to have her second child? Would Mamedyarov live up to his promise and truly join the elite group of players? Did the best dutch player stand a chance in this sort of line-up? These question were resoundingly answered when Topalov suffered defeats to Mamedyarov and Polgar in the first two rounds, and these two shared first on 4½ /6 ahead on Topalov on 2½ and Sokolov on ½. Topalov was clearly exhausted. Polgar showed no ill effects and bagged two wins against Topalov, the top ranked player in the world. Mamedyarov looked extremely dangerous and likely to enter the world top-ten, and Sokolov capped a miserable performance by getting outplayed from a better ending against Mamedyarov in the final round.
Today's game from the 4th round at Hoogeveen features Judit Polgar, the greatest female player in history demonstrating her legendary attacking skill with Black against Sokolov. Notes are by IM Malcolm Pein from The Week In Chess.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3 d5 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 c5 9.Ne2 Qc7 10.Ba2 b6 11.0-0 Ba6 12.Re1 Nc6
A typical position from the Nimzo Indian has arisen.White hopes to liberate his bishop pair by opening the b2-g7 diagonal and putting bishops on b1 and b2. Also White wants to play e3-e4 and advance in the centre. 13.Ng3 Rad8
Black uses her control of the light squares and pressure on d4 to restrict White's play. She would like to exchange light squared bishops and she will attack the centre with e6-e5 and try to strangle the white bishops by playing c5-c4 and e5-e4. In some endgames her queenside pawn majority may advance. 14.Bb2 e5 15.Qc2 Rd7 16.Rad1 ---
If 16 dxe5 Nxe5 coming to d3. 16. --- Rfd8 17.h3 ---
Or 17 Ne4 Nxe4 18 Qxe4 Ne7 19 Qf3 c4 20 Bb1 Bb7 21 e4 Ng6 and White's bishops are under control. 17...c4 18.a4 Re8 19.Ba3 e4 20.Bb1 Rd5!
Retired world No 1 Garry Kasparov admiringly commented “What aggression!” refering to this rook lift to the kingside. If in Reply 21 Qe2, then h5 leaves White passive. 21.Ne2 Rg5 22.Nf4 Bc8 23.Qe2 Qd7! 24.Qxc4 Na5 25.Qb4 Nd5
The pawn sacrifice has ensured the exchange of the only kingside defender. 26.Nxd5 Qxd5 27.h4 ---
Or 27 Kh2 Bxh3 28 gxh3 Qf5 29 Re2 Rh5 mates. 27. --- Rg4 28.Qb5 Qd8! 29.g3 a6! 30.Qb4 Qxh4 31.Bxe4 Rxg3+!! 32.fxg3 Qxe4
White is defenceless on the light squares. 33.Rd2 Qf3 34.Kh2 Qh5+ 35.Kg1 Qf3 36.Kh2 Bf5! 37.e4 Bxe4 38.Rxe4 Qxe4 39.d5 Nc4 After 40 Rf2 a5! 41 Qb5 Re5 the threat of Rh5+ wins.
Essent excitement in Hoogeveen
Problem: White to play and mate in 4.
The dutch town of Hoogeveen annually plays host to the Essent tournament with an interesting format the elite 'Crown' group: A double-round-robin featuring the top ranked player from the Netherlands, a current or former world champion, the top ranked female player in the world, and the junior world champion. This year these places were filled respectively by Ivan Sokolov (Nethaerlands), Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria), Judit Polgar (Hungary) and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan). The invited players are all known for their fighting qualities, and they certainly delivered, with only two draws among the twelve games.
Worldwide attention was focused on the event for several reasons: How would Topalov fare in the tournament beginning just a week after his defeat in the world championship match with Kramnik? How was Polgar's form in here first tournament since taking another year out to have her second child? Would Mamedyarov live up to his promise and truly join the elite group of players? Did the best dutch player stand a chance in this sort of line-up? These question were resoundingly answered when Topalov suffered defeats to Mamedyarov and Polgar in the first two rounds, and these two shared first on 4½ /6 ahead on Topalov on 2½ and Sokolov on ½. Topalov was clearly exhausted. Polgar showed no ill effects and bagged two wins against Topalov, the top ranked player in the world. Mamedyarov looked extremely dangerous and likely to enter the world top-ten, and Sokolov capped a miserable performance by getting outplayed from a better ending against Mamedyarov in the final round.
Today's game from the 4th round at Hoogeveen features Judit Polgar, the greatest female player in history demonstrating her legendary attacking skill with Black against Sokolov. Notes are by IM Malcolm Pein from The Week In Chess.
1.d4 Nf6
2.c4 e6
3.Nc3 Bb4
4.e3 0-0
5.Bd3 d5
6.a3 Bxc3+
7.bxc3 dxc4
8.Bxc4 c5
9.Ne2 Qc7
10.Ba2 b6
11.0-0 Ba6
12.Re1 Nc6
A typical position from the Nimzo Indian has arisen.White hopes to liberate his bishop pair by opening the b2-g7 diagonal and putting bishops on b1 and b2. Also White wants to play e3-e4 and advance in the centre.
13.Ng3 Rad8
Black uses her control of the light squares and pressure on d4 to restrict White's play. She would like to exchange light squared bishops and she will attack the centre with e6-e5 and try to strangle the white bishops by playing c5-c4 and e5-e4. In some endgames her queenside pawn majority may advance.
14.Bb2 e5
15.Qc2 Rd7
16.Rad1 ---
If 16 dxe5 Nxe5 coming to d3.
16. --- Rfd8
17.h3 ---
Or 17 Ne4 Nxe4 18 Qxe4 Ne7 19 Qf3 c4 20 Bb1 Bb7 21 e4 Ng6 and White's bishops are under control.
17...c4
18.a4 Re8
19.Ba3 e4
20.Bb1 Rd5!
Retired world No 1 Garry Kasparov admiringly commented “What aggression!” refering to this rook lift to the kingside. If in Reply 21 Qe2, then h5 leaves White passive.
21.Ne2 Rg5
22.Nf4 Bc8
23.Qe2 Qd7!
24.Qxc4 Na5
25.Qb4 Nd5
The pawn sacrifice has ensured the exchange of the only kingside defender.
26.Nxd5 Qxd5
27.h4 ---
Or 27 Kh2 Bxh3 28 gxh3 Qf5 29 Re2 Rh5 mates.
27. --- Rg4
28.Qb5 Qd8!
29.g3 a6!
30.Qb4 Qxh4
31.Bxe4 Rxg3+!!
32.fxg3 Qxe4
White is defenceless on the light squares.
33.Rd2 Qf3
34.Kh2 Qh5+
35.Kg1 Qf3
36.Kh2 Bf5!
37.e4 Bxe4
38.Rxe4 Qxe4
39.d5 Nc4
After 40 Rf2 a5! 41 Qb5 Re5 the threat of Rh5+ wins.
0-1
Solution:1 Bxd5+! cxd5 (1... Kh8 2 Qxf8+ Rg8 3 Qxg8#; 1... Rf7 2 Qxf7+ Kh8 3 Qf8+ etc) 2 Qxf8+! Kxf8 3 Rc8+ Bd8 4 Rxd8#.